Mop having a removable pivotable handle

ABSTRACT

A mop comprising a mop head portion pivotably connected to a handle and handle fastener through a releasable coupling. The mop may be utilized in a conventional manner or the mop head portion may be used by hand upon removal of the handle and handle fastener.

United States Patent Whitaker [54] MOP HAVING A REMOVABLE PIVOTABLE HANDLE [72] Inventor: Wiley M. Whitaker, 227 Lexington Road, Asheboro, NC. 27203 221 Filed: Jan.6, 1971 2'11 Appl.No.: 104,226

[52] U.S. Cl. ..15/144 R, 15/145, 15/244 A [51] Int. Cl ..A47l 17/08, B25g 3/38 [58] Field ofSearch.15/143 B, 144 R, 144 A, 144 B, 15/145, 146, 147 A, 147 B, 172.176, 229 B,

229 BC, 229 HP, 244 A; 306/1, l1, 19, 20,

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,509,381 9/1924 Townsend ..306/19 3,491 ,397 1/1970 Hesener 15/144 R x 744,558 11/1903 Kelly ..15/144 R ux 1,932,099 10/1933 Cabana ..306/23 1,705,247 3/1929 Garber ..287/103 A 1451 Dec. 5, 1972 9/1956 Switzerland 15/244 A Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-David Rabin [5 7] ABSTRACT A mop comprising a mop head portion pivotably connected to a handle and handle fastener through a releasable coupling. The mop may be utilized in a conventional manner or the mop head portion may be used by hand upon removal of the handle and handle fastener.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PKTENTEDBEE' 5 I972 FlG.l

FIG.2

FIG. 4

. INVENTOR F|G,7 WILEY M.WHITAKER MOP HAVING A REMOVABLE PIVOTABLE HANDLE BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a mop having a detachable handle and more particularly to a mop adapted to be used in a conventional manner, with the handle attached, or adapted to be held within the hand upon removal of the handle from the mop head portion.

Briefly, the mop of the present invention includes a tubular handle releasably attached toa handle socket through a fastening means comprising a handle projection slideably receivable within a plurality of slots formed within the handle socket. The handle socket includes projections or pivot pins adapted to be releasably snapped into sockets formed within opposed handle support members on the mop head portion for permitting the handle to pivot relative to the head.

One of theprimary objects of the invention is the provision of a novel mop arrangement having a removable handle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mop having a head portion adapted to be readily and conveniently removed from the handle for utilization by hand.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a unique and relatively inexpensive mop of simple construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the novel mop of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mop of FIG. I, the limits of pivotable displacement of the handle with respect to the mop head being shown in full and broken lines;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the mop head, the handle and handle socket being removed therefrom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective sectional view of the mop head taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the handle socket releasably secured to the handle;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the handle socket secured to the handle, portions of the handle being broken away; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the utilization of the mop head when detached from the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing, the mop 10 includes a handle 12 connected to the head 14 of the mop by a handle socket 16.

The handle 12 preferably is of tubular construction having a protrusion 18 formed by punching the tubular construction inwardly. One end of the tubular handle is open for receiving the handle socket 16. The handle socket 16, which is preferably of molded construction, includes a first section 20 having a shoulder 22 for limiting displacement into the handle 12 and opposed projections 24 for coupling the socket to the mop head 14. The lower end portion 26 of section 20 is arcuate for-facilitating pivotable displacement of the handle 12 relative to the head 14.

The socket 16 also includes a second generally cylindrical section 28 having a groove 30 extending about the circumference thereof and a groove 32 located normal to the groove 30. The groove 32 extends from the groove 30 to the end of the second section 28.

Themop head 14, which may be of molded plastic construction, comprises a generally flat plate 34 having opposed, upstanding supporting members 36, 36 defining sockets 38 for releasably retaining the projections 24 of the handle socket 16. The support members 36, 36 are spaced sufficiently for pivotably receiving the handle 12 therebetween, and as shown by FIG. 3, the upper ends of the members 36, 36 are recessed as at 40 to facilitate insertion of projections 24 into the sockets 38. As illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 4, a pair of sockets have been shown on each of the o-posed members 36 permitting the handle and handle socket to be selectively positioned on the head 14.

Each socket 38 is defined by an arcuate wall 42 which is slightly larger than but generally corresponds to the contourof one of the projections 24, and guide walls that converge towards the arcuate wall 42. The distance between the ends of the guide walls at the junctures of the guide walls with the arcuate wall 42 is slightly less than the width of a projection 24 such that the handle socket projections 24 are snapped into and releasably retained within the sockets 38 by urging downwardly the end of handle 12 adjacent the socket 16.

A sponge-like material 46 is secured by adhesive or other suitable means to theside of the plate 34 opposite the support members 36. While the thickness of the sponge material may vary, the width'andlength of the material generally corresponds to the size of the plate 34. opposed The mop 10 may be used in a conventional manner with'the handle and handle socket secured in either pair of the opposed sockets 38. Alternatively, the handle 12 and handle socket 16 may be disengaged from the head 14 and the head 14 employed as illustrated by FIG. 7. When utilized in this manner, the upstanding support members 36 serve as a handle.

The handle 12 may be removed from the handle socket l6 by rotating the handle until the projection 18 within groove 30 is aligned with slot 32, and withdrawing the tubular handle axially of the handle socket.

I claim: I

' l. A mop comprising a head portion having cleaning means secured thereto, handle means including an elongated handle and fastener means attached thereto having opposed projections thereon, at least a portion of said handle being tubular, said fastener means including a first section defining said opposed projections and a second section releasably secured within said tubular portion, said second section defining a first peripheral groove and a second peripheral groove extending from said first peripheral groove to the end of said second section, said handle means further including an inwardly directed projection on said tubular portion for cooperating with said first peripheral groove for locking said handle to said handle fastener means,

said head portion including a pair of opposed upstandgroove is a circumferential groove and said second peripheral groove extends normal to said first circumferential groove.

4. A mop as defined in claim 1, said head further including a generally fiat plate having said cleaning means secured thereto, said plate and said support means being of integral construction.

5. A mop as defined in claim 1, each of said opposed upstanding portions including a plurality of sockets therein.

a a a a: t 

1. A mop comprising a head portion having cleaning means secured thereto, handle means including an elongated handle and fastener means attached thereto having opposed projections thereon, at least a portion of said handle being tubular, said fastener means including a first section defining said opposed projections and a second section releasably secured within said tubular portion, said second section defining a first peripheral groove and a second peripheral groove extending from said first peripheral groove to the end of said second section, said handle means further including an inwardly directed projection on said tubular portion for cooperating with said first peripheral groove for locking said handle to said handle fastener means, said head portion including a pair of opposed upstanding portions spaced to receive an end portion of said handle therebetween, each opposed upstanding portion defining a socket and each of said sockets comprising a guide portion and a bearing portion for releasably receiving said projections.
 2. A mop as defined in claim 1, wherein said first section and said second section of said fastener means being of integral, molded construction.
 3. A mop as defined in claim 1, wherein said second section is generally cylindrical and said first peripheral groove is a circumferential groove and said second peripheral groove extends normal to said first circumferential groove.
 4. A mop as defined in claim 1, said head further including a generally flat plate having said cleaning means secured thereto, said plate and said support means being of integral constRuction.
 5. A mop as defined in claim 1, each of said opposed upstanding portions including a plurality of sockets therein. 